Mr Russell Hodgson

MBBS PhD FRACS

Copyright  © 2017 Mr Russell Hodgson HPB and General Surgeon, Melbourne, Australia

Appointments/Enquiries: 9456 9511

Specialist HPB and General Surgeon

Disclaimer

Primary cancer of the liver cells is called hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), often also called hepatoma. Most cases (95%) of hepatoma cases are found in patients who already have cirrhosis of the liver with only 5% arising in normal liver. There are a variety of treatment modalities to treat hepatoma depending on the size, location, health of the surrounding liver, and whether the tumour has spread.

These cancers can be treated by:

Percutaneous Radiological procedures:

• Microwave ablation
• Radiofrequency ablation
• Ethanol injection

Transvascular treatments:

• Trans-arterial Chemo-Embolisation (TACE)
• Selective Internal Radiation Therapy (SIRT)

Surgery

• Surgically assisted ablation
• Resection
• Liver Transplantation

Chemotherapy

• Sorafenib

Generally, surgery offers the best chance of cure although ablation for small hepatomas can have a similar outcome. However, the health of the underlying liver may preclude surgery, and the location of the hepatoma within the liver is very important to the success rate of ablative techniques. Deciding which treatment is best is complicated and best decided within a team of surgeons, radiologists, hepatologists and oncologists.